MK and I have stayed at the KOA there a couple times. We highly recommend it. The location is perfect. Quick access to the beach, which is just over the sand dune from the campgrounds. The beach tends to not be crowded even during peak season. We stayed there both times in August. KOA also owns the ground on the Pamlica Sound side of the highway. So you can get to the ocean or the sound without leaving the campground.
The KOA is clean and well managed. Restrooms/showers/laundry areas were cleaned every morning. They maintain a family friendly atmosphere. We had one night were a group of folks did not comprehend the 10:00 quiet time rule and they were asked to leave as they were not there the next night. We were told we were not the only ones that said anything (they were next to us and up quite late drinking, talking quite loud, playing that bean bag game where you try to throw it through a board. It is not a party place, at least it was not the 2 times that we were there.
There are adequate grocery stores in the area for supplies and if you sign up for their customer card (I think it is Food Lion) you get the discounts. There is one to north and to the south.
25 miles north is a very large complex of stores if you need anything or just want to go shopping, and plenty of restaraunts.
There is a lighthouse in close proximity to tour.
To the south is a ferry that you should go over to Okracoke on. Plenty of tourist traps on the way and local artisan shops on Okracoke plus a small museum.
During normal weather the waves are big enough for boogie board fun but not huge. Some folks try and surf and do so OK.
I probably shouldn't tell you, but there are sharks and other critters swimming close to the beach but you are going to have that anywhere in the ocean. You can see dolphins that frequent the area. I saw people that caught small sharks, never anything large. I have an acquaintance that has taken an airplane ride all the way up and down the coast (one of those tour planes) and he said you would be surprised at what is swimming next to people that you can see from the air, not from the ground.
I caught a stingray the size of a trash can lid 60 feet offshore. I also caught a skate about a foot in diameter with a 2 foot long tail.
The stingray was dragging my line all over and swam by a couple from French Quebec (I assume Canada). They started pointing about me trying to go fish somewhere else, then got PO'ed and got out of the water. Once I got the stingray onshore lots of people came to see it and were very surprised that it was swimming right in around their feet.
For the most part, the beaches in that area are so NOT crowded you can enjoy fishing, swimming or just hanging out in the sun without being swarmed by people. We usually had 25 or more feet in any direction between us and the next group of people. Some of the beaches to the north or south were more crowded.
If you drive down Rt 12 south, keep your eyes on the ocean side of the road. There is a house where the folks built a flying saucer in their yard.
We are going to go back in a year or so and will stay at the KOA again.
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psssttt drcook = David R, not Dr. but thanks for the compliment. Most folks just call me Dave.
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